Customs laboratory, library open

LAHORE : A newly-built Customs Laboratory, conference room and library were inaugurated at Mughalpura Dry Port here on Saturday.

Member Customs Muhammad Zahid inaugurated the facilities, named after senior officers of Customs in recognition of their services to the department. A large number of Customs officers and officials, representatives of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, APTMA and Customs clearing agents attended the ceremony.

Collector Jamil Nasir Khan highlighted the initiatives of the Collectorate. Due to a clear strategy of revenue optimisation and control of informal payments, the cost of business has considerably decreased, he said. As a result of such initiatives taken to facilitate trade, the Collectorate has posted 36 percent growth in Customs duty in fiscal year 2017-18 as compared to the previous year while overall revenue witnessed growth of 28 per cent, the collector said. He thanked senior management for supporting his initiatives. Central Region Chief Collector Zeba Hai Azhar appreciated the initiatives of the Collectorate. Muhammad Zahid emphasised that trade facilitation was one of the basic planks of the policy of FBR.